The present invention relates to the field of instant messaging and, more particularly, to utilizing an instant messaging system to handle ad hoc business process workflows.
Businesses utilize a variety of software applications and systems to manage the performance of daily tasks. Process management applications and/or systems electronically automate business processes, such as the approval of travel requests, increasing employee productivity and efficiency. However, the implementations of such process management applications/systems often result in a rigidity that hinders the quick incorporation of new or ad hoc processes.
For example, an employee must often follow a formal request process to have a new process added to the process management application/system. The formal request process often requires more time than the requester can wait. Even in situations where processes are added liberally, processes that are only needed once or infrequently consume space within the application/system, degrading performance.
Conventional process management applications/systems typically require an entry for all of the entities defined in the workflow of the business process. That is, all of the employees and/or departments that are required to participate in the business process must be defined within the process management application/system. This often creates problems communicating the tasks of the business process with entities that are outside of the main organization.